8 ways to make your home greener

While repeated and dire warnings from climate scientists may be hard to stomach, now more than ever, it's time to think about the positive changes we can make to protect our planet.

The government certainly needs to get its act together when it comes to the environment, but what we do in our everyday lives can be part of a big change,' Emi Murphy, climate change campaigner at Friends of the Earth, tells House Beautiful UK. 'A great place to start is your home. It’s where we spend a lot of our time so, by making changes to things like your water and energy usage, you can start to make a big impact.'

Here are a list of changes you can make to your home that will have the biggest positive impact on the planet; in terms of saving energy and cutting emissions. And even if you're not a homeowner, 'don’t be put off because you’re renting', says Emi. 'There’s still stuff you can do to make your home greener, and your landlord can be obliged to help.'

Follow this guide to making your home greener.

MundusImagesGetty Images

The perfect temperature

We all want a warm home (there’s a lot of winter left to come) but turning down the thermostat by just a couple of degrees can save a huge amount of emissions. Try to keep the temperature to no higher than 18°C.

1 of 8

Garden Trading

Insulate your home

By making your home more efficient at trapping in the heat you will cut your heating bills and use less fossil fuels. A draught excluder is one of the quickest and cheapest ways to keep your home warmer, and you can also think about insulating your home with thermal wallpaper along with loft or basement insulation. If you’re a renter you can request these from your landlord, as they have a legal obligation to make the property heat efficient.

The stuff we buy for our homes has big ramifications when it comes to resource use and emissions from shipping, so think twice before upgrading your blender or buying new cushions. Obviously, there will be times when we need to replace things but try to for second hand where possible. If you do need to buy new kit, make sure it’s made to last. This will decrease your environmental impact and will also save you money in the long run.

You can also learn simple fabric repairs, so you don’t have to replace soft furnishings as soon as they rip or fray. Why not take on a reupholstering project if you’re looking for some unique furniture?

3 of 8

Be smart

It’s important to only use the energy you need to. Try to adapt your heating schedule around your own schedule. This is a lot easier to do if you’re able to install smart heating controls like Hive or Nest. If you’re not able to do this consider taking a little time to adjust your heating timings when heading out for the evening or a weekend away.

If you own your property, and are up for a long-term change, you might want to think about what type of heating you use. The government offer grants through their 'renewable heat incentive' if you want to switch to some types of electric heating and move away from fossil fuels when keeping your home warm.

5 of 8

Westend61Getty Images

Run on sun

If you’re able to install solar panels you can slash the emissions of your household as you generate your very own clean electricity. Double points if you’re able to heat water through solar too – ditching dirty gas-powered heating in the process.

6 of 8

Image StudiosGetty Images

Waste less food

Plan your meals so you only buy the ingredients you know you’re going to use. Freeze your leftovers or make them into a packed lunch. By only using the food you need you’ll save on emissions coming from production and transport.

7 of 8

ChristianChanGetty Images

Be political

Making changes to your own lifestyle is fantastic, but you can make a wider impact by getting involved as an activist. It’s easy to get started, simply write to your MP to talk to them about climate change or ask your local council if they’re investing money in dirty energy. Just a short email can do the job. By being vocal you can put more pressure on politicians and make them take action on climate chaos.

Olivia HeathDigital Editor, House Beautiful UKOlivia Heath is the Digital Editor at House Beautiful UK, uncovering tomorrow's biggest home trends, delivering stylish room decor inspiration and rounding up the hottest properties on the market.

House Beautiful, Part of the Hearst UK Fashion & Beauty Network
House Beautiful participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.